Mishlei (Pro) 26
26
1Like snow in summer or rain at harvest-time,
so honor for a fool is out of place.
2Like a fluttering sparrow or a flying swallow,
an undeserved curse will come home to roost.
3A whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.
4Don’t answer a fool in terms of his folly,
or you will be descending to his level;
5but answer a fool as his folly deserves,
so that he won’t think he is wise.
6Telling a message to a fool and sending him out
is like cutting off one’s feet and drinking violence.
7The legs of the disabled hang limp and useless;
likewise a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8Like one who ties his stone to the sling
is he who gives honor to a fool.
9Like a thorn branch in the hand of a drunk
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10A master can make anything,
but hiring a fool is like hiring some passer-by.
11Just as a dog returns to his vomit,
a fool repeats his folly.
12Do you see someone who thinks himself wise?
There is more hope for a fool than for him!
13The lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the streets!
A lion is roaming loose out there!”
14The door turns on its hinges,
and the lazy man on his bed.
15The lazy person buries his hand in the dish
but is too tired to return it to his mouth.
16A lazy man is wiser in his own view
than seven who can answer with sense.
17Like someone who grabs a dog by the ears
is a passer-by who mixes in a fight not his own.
18Like a madman shooting deadly arrows and firebrands
19is one who deceives another, then says, “It was just a joke.”
20If there’s no wood, the fire goes out;
if nobody gossips, contention stops.
21As coals are to embers and wood to fire
is a quarrelsome person to kindling strife.
22A slanderer’s words are tasty morsels;
they slide right down into the belly.
23Like silver slag overlaid on a clay pot
are lips that burn [with friendship] over a hating heart.
24He who hates may hide it with his speech;
but inside, he harbors deceit.
25He may speak pleasantly, but don’t trust him;
for seven abominations are in his heart.
26His hatred may be concealed by deceit,
but his wickedness will be revealed in the assembly.
27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.
28A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
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Mishlei (Pro) 26: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleProverbs 26
26
1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,#1Sm 12:17
honor is inappropriate for a fool.#Pr 17:7; 19:10
2Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow,#Pr 27:8
an undeserved curse goes nowhere.#Nm 23:8; Dt 23:5; 2Sm 16:12
3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,#Ps 32:9
and a rod for the backs of fools.#Pr 10:13; 19:29
4Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness#Pr 23:9; 29:9; Mt 7:6; Lk 23:9
or you’ll be like him yourself.
5Answer a fool according to his foolishness#Mt 16:1–4; 21:24–27
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.#Pr 26:12; 28:11; Rm 12:16
6The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand#Pr 10:26; 25:13
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.#Pr 13:2
7A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.
8Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.
9A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by#26:9 Lit thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard.
10The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone indiscriminately.
11As a dog returns to its vomit,
so also a fool repeats his foolishness.#2Pt 2:22
12Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes?#Pr 3:7; 26:5; Rm 12:16
There is more hope for a fool than for him.#Pr 29:20
13The slacker says, “There’s a lion in the road —
a lion in the public square!” #Pr 22:13
14A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.#Pr 6:9–10; 19:15
15The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!#Pr 12:27; 19:24
16In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser#Pr 26:5,12; 28:11
than seven who can answer sensibly.
17A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
18Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,#Is 50:11
19so is the person who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.#Pr 16:28; 22:10
21As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.#Pr 15:18
22A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.#26:22 Lit to the chambers of the belly#Pr 18:8
23Smooth#26:23 LXX; MT reads Burning lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.#Mt 23:27; Lk 11:39
24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech
and harbors deceit within.
25When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him,
for there are seven detestable things in his heart.#Ps 28:3
26Though his hatred is concealed by deception,
his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
27The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever rolls a stone —
it will come back on him.#Est 7:10; Jb 4:8; Pr 28:10; Dn 6:24; Mt 26:52
28A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
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